** VR6 Head Gasket Problems - Update ... Skimmed head & Soft GSF Bolts !!!! **

Howdy all,

I seem to have developed a Head Gasket problem. I noticed a bit of moisture at the edge of the gasket at the end of last year so I've kept an eye on it. But I had a look at the oil filler cap the other day and found some of the dreaded 'mayo' on the cap . I have done a stack of reading up on the subject. So have checked the coolant pipes and they are rock solid, so this suggests that the engine is pressurising the coolant system Also at start-up white smoke from the exhaust plus I have been loosing a minute amount of coolant for a while (very small). The oil is fine (I have serviced it every 5000miles with Synta Gold and c an of Wynn's engine flush) in fact it is due a service and oil change. There are no other coolant leaks (I've replaced all items except the radiator) nor oil leaks. Funnily enough the fuel economy is still good (for a VR6) and there is no loss of power, hence I have caught the leak very early on.

I have been driving it around like a granddad at the moment trying not to damage anything. Surprised my self today I got 39.5mpg with it today (didn't beat my 42mpg record though).

I have two queries -

• How soon should I replace the gasket ? Can it last another 350 miles of very relaxed driving (max - 65mph, 3000rpm) ? I have some time off in 3 weeks when I can do it at my leisure.

• Problems with removal of the head. I have done loads of mechanical work to the car (suspension, bushes, water pumps, steering rack, sub-frame removal respray, coolant system, drive shaft, etc.) as I am sure some of you have seen. Are the difficult bits the removal of the exhaust manifold (rust, bolt shear, etc.) and the timing of the cam shafts & cam shaft ?

Advice would be appreciated. I am going to buy a Bentley manual and maybe do a 'How To' for CGTI when I replace the gasket.

(It'll be a good excuse to paint the engine block and clean a few hard to reach areas up as well )

 

VR6 engines are prone to head gasket problems, and the Man In The Shed tells me he does a lot of refurb heads for Stealth, and others. Generally there's some surface corrosion and the valve guides are worn too.

Drop me a PM if you discover you need a refurb on the head, unless you're confident enough to do it yourself.

I believe there's a later design of gasket, which is a bit stronger.

 

Thanks for that Mike.

I'm hoping I don't have to refub. the head, but I might replace the valves and guides, just have to wait and see when I get the head off. Hopefully it won't need skimming. I have a nice metal straight edge so we shall see what we shall see !

Yes I'll try and get the later 3 layer gasket if I can. The VR6 is a late 1997 version by the way, one of the last ones I guess.

 

I've noticed this on my VR just recently on the left hand side of the block. I really don't fancy doing a head gasket on the VR. I've done one on my old 8v k-jet and refurbed the head but the VR looks a bit of a bast, don't fancy fannying with the chains,etc.. I've even considered just nipping the head bolts up a touch but suspect even this would mean cams out.

How long between noticing the moisture and mayo mate? (months/rough miles?)

BTW, I got my Bentley manual off Amazon marketplace, can be had for a good price there ; clicky

 

Good job on the bently price Prot3us Saves me a 10'er

Well I guess I saw the moisture about September last year. So that has been 7 months but I didn't drive it for 2 1/2 months because I had the sub-frame off. I only have done 5000 miles since my last service in June, hence I was just about to service it again (I only do about 100 miles a week - mostly motorway). Hope this helps.

 

Cheers, I generally do about 50/60 miles a week so hopefully have a few months of head gasket denial yet

I might try and get a pic of the moist patch, a mate suggested it may have been from spraying WD40 onto near pulleys but I think thats extreme wishfull thinking,pretty sure its the HG

Wish I had space/cash for a second car tbh, I hate doing big jobs on daily drivers.

Look forward to any guide you may get together mate

 

Yeah I know what you mean about doing big jobs on daily drivers, it's that time pressure .... no fun. If something goes wrong (which it always does) then it just adds extra stress to the equation.

Funny two days running I have averaged 39.5mpg driving to and from work (34 miles) . Just shows you that a VR6 can be efficient (relatively that is ! )

Anyway, I have a picture of the gasket where the moisture currently is. It has been like it for a while now .....



Found a 'How To' on VWvortex forums about the Tensioner and Chains which shows some of the aspects involved for head removal (well half of them ). It deals with some of the timing issues involved.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1264409

It is easy to get the manifold and rocker cover off, i've done it a few times. The problem I guess will be getting the sprokets off the cam shafts and the exhaust manifold.

Here's a couple of pics of mine during last years clean up !






Any ideas on my original two questions guys ?

• How soon should I replace the gasket ? Can it last another 350 miles of very relaxed driving (max - 65mph, 3000rpm) ? I have some time off in 3 weeks when I can do it at my leisure.

• Problems with removal of the head. Are the difficult bits the removal of the exhaust manifold (rust, bolt shear, etc.) and the timing of the cam shafts & cam shaft ?

Answers appreciated !

 

if you're after bentley manuals try albris.co.uk , i picked on up delivered for my mk1 for 8 quid!!

its a uk site they just ship them from the us.

Chris

 

I had the same issue on my Vr with the headgasket weeping oil at the water pump end and it ran fine for about 20k miles before i got round to doing the headgasket.

Its not that tricky to do, I just used one of the guides on Vortex, thing to make sure is that the timing correct before you put the rocker cover and all the inlet back on.

 

OK, almost got all my bits together for my H-G change !

- OEM Headgasket
- Camshaft locking tool
- OEM Head bolt set

Questions .....

• What is the best way of getting the camshaft sprocket bolts off - will the locking tool handle the pressure applied ? (Both when undoing & putting new ones on .... ~98Nm is needed ! )

• Do I need to order new Camsahft sprocket bolts ?

Answers needed please, thanks I don't want to mess things up for the sake of a 20 tool.

 

http://www.alibris.co.uk/booksearch?subject=bentley+manual

 

done a compression test on it?

 

Just ordered the bits for a compression test !

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-37442-Compression-Tester-14X18mm/dp/B0001K9TV0

Also buying a Bentley ! .... right now !

Got my spline socket from GSF !

Bentley now ordered !!!!

 

Forgot about this, heres my weeping gasket:



[:^(]

Good luck with it Ezy

 

at least then youll know if its definately fubar.

you not tempted to get a flowed head, run the car in the meantime, then rebuild with the flowed head?

 

Regarding the camshaft sprocket, only one needs to come off and use a 24mm spanner on the camshaft and a 15mm socket with a breaker bar.

 

Yes tempted to get a flowed head but not sure how much it costs ?

Plus I have got to do the brakes and rear axle so lots to do. Add some body work issues to solve .... very minor but still costly and that's a whole bunch of money. So not sure.

 

** Got the Head off !!! **

Finally got round to doing the headgasket .... at last ! Have spent 5 Hours today stripping the engine ..... Oil, Coolant, manifolds, pipes .... etc, you know the score ! Apart from a few bits it all went very well ! Got the head off about 5:30pm finally ..... phew, I then dripped oil from the head over the Aux Drive belt .... and the pulleys ..... OH ! ..... damn that’ll need replacing ! Hehehe if that is as bad as it gets then so be it ! Trying to get the lower intake manifold and fuel rail off was a ***** .... the bolts are really awkward to get to. The Exhaust manifolds came off brilliantly ! Very pleased with that, thought they’d be rusted tight ... but no ! WD-40 & a quick bash-o-the-Hammer on a spanner and boomff all off .... lovely .... spiffing !

I have set aside 3 days for the job and I’ve done half of it in an afternoon ! Cool ! That might mean Saturday will be free .... (I doubt it though). Very tempted to clean the engine block up and paint it, ordered some paint but not sure I can be bothered. It’ll take 2 hours at least to clean it ! Plus there is a little rust on the block to get off.


Some pics of the current state of things -



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[FONT=&quot]Cylinder 1-[/FONT]


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[FONT=&quot]Cylinder 2 -[/FONT]


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[FONT=&quot]Cylinder 3 -
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[FONT=&quot]Cylinder 4 -
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Cylinder 5 -



Cylinder 6 -



There was no oil in the cylinders until I tipped the head when taking it off Hence what oil there was in the head dripped into cylinders 1, 2, 3 & 4 and I dried it up with tissue You can see the state of the headgasket which is still on the block.

Not sure what to do with the head, might just quickly clean the valves and slap it back on. Don't really have the time to have it skimmed and reconditioned I need the car Mon, Tues, Weds & Thursday. It would be a real pain without it !

Let me know what you think guys ! Input appreciated

Thanks

Ez

 

** Head on ! **

Well having spent 6 hours today cleaning !!!! <Phew> its starting to come together. Got the head cleaned up and polished the ends of the valves (1200 Grit smallest I had). Cleaned the engine block and scrubbed the cylinder heads as well with engine degreaser and Carb Cleaner. Used a cold chisel to scrap the surfaces. The head seems flat to me, got a nice 1.2m Aluminium spirit level and it was flat on the head at many angles .... cool, no skim required. Got the new gasket on and bolted down and torqued up the new head bolts. Exhaust manifold on with gaskets. Just spent an hour messing around with timing . So gonna have a few hours break and go back to it tomorrow !








Nicely cleaned up cylinder heads



As far as I can see there is very little bore wear, no nasty scratches, realitvely smooth.


One new Headgasket -



Getting there .... slowly !

 

Almost there mate

Timing was the problem I had when doing my old 8v, did you not mark the chains/sprockets?

Did you check/change the valve stem seals?